Jodhpur (pti): Salman Khan has petitioned Rajasthan High Court to quash the chargesheet against him for poaching protected wild animals.

Filing a special petition in the court here on Friday, Khan said the judicial magistrate had erred in taking cognizance of the chargesheet because the same was not submitted under a section of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Police had filed only the final report under a Section of the IPC and, as such, the chargesheet should be quashed, Khan’s counsel argued before Justice Harbans Lal.

The government counsel, however, contended that since charges under the Wildlife Protection Act and the Arms Act had already been framed against the accused in different cases, it was not necessary to place before the lower court a separate report under a Section of the Wildlife Protection Act and there was nothing objectionable in submitting a police report.

Since examination of witnesses has already begun in two other cases of poaching, a judicial intervention was not desirable now, he added. The next hearing of the case has been fixed for September 17.

Police hunt for constable’s body

hyderabad: Police forces of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have launched combined operations to trace the body of the constable who was killed by the People’s War Group, reports our special correspondent.

Constable Chittibabu was kidnapped from Anakapally and later killed by the Naxalites after a mock trial last week. He is the second policeman killed by the Naxalites, whose body is yet to be found. Three years ago, sub-inspector S.V. Rama Rao was killed by the PWG under the Cherla police station area of Khammam district.

Chittibabu’s killing has created panic in the state police, with the majority of tribal policemen wanting to quit. The PWG has already issued an ultimatum to tribals to give up the police jobs.

“Chittibabu was punished according to tribal laws. The tribal praja court had indicted him,” PWG leader Chalapathui had said recently in a statement.

Following the constable’s murder, the police forces of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh launched combined combing operations to snuff out the Naxalites. The Andhra government also opened channels for talks with the PWG. The government, however, does not favour a ceasefire before the talks.

2000 teachers in custody

Chennai (pti): Over 2,000 teachers of primary schools in Tamil Nadu were taken into custody on Saturday for violating regulatory orders in effect in the city.

Protesting a reduction in their strength in schools, the teachers had assembled for a procession from the government guest house to the Secretariat, when they were rounded up by the police.

Activists on fast

dehra dun (PTI): Nearly a dozen protesters, who were taken in preventive custody for obstructing trucks carrying construction material for the Tehri dam, on Saturday began an indefinite fast in the Tehri jail. Uttaranchal minister of state for industry Kishore Upadhayay said the agitators were protesting against “illegal confinement”.

Official in graft net

new delhi (PTI): The CBI has arrested a senior official working with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and claimed to have seized documents from his residence showing property to the tune of Rs 1 crore. An agency spokesman said the superintendent engineer was arrested while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a contractor.

Hawk deal

new delhi (PTI): India has decided to acquire 66 British Aerospace Hawk jet trainers for the IAF costing about Rs 7,000 crore. The proposal has been placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security for approval. Defence minister George Fernandes said the CCS is likely to formally approve the deal after Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee returns from the US.

Idol seized

mangalore (PTI): The anti-rowdy squad of the Karnataka police on Saturday arrested two persons and seized a 9-inch-long 2,000-year-old Panchaloha idol valued at about Rs 2 lakh belonging to a Jain monastery from them.

Pak national held

bhopal (PTI): Police have arrested a Pakistani national, holding the post of vice-president of the Madhya Pradesh Janata Dal (Secular), for staying in the city without valid documents for the past 31 years. About 200 handicraft images of Lord Ganesh are on display at an exhibition in Bhubaneshwar. The exhibition displays miniature Ganesh idols in terracotta, fine wood carvings, applique work and patchwork emblems among others.